I have recently been obsessed with reading about goal-setting and productivity. In my world of article deadlines and big dreams, I guess these things are necessary. However, after doing much thinking and reading last night, I started thinking about something else. Is your end goal blinding you? This is a question I am posing to you and posing to myself? How do you feel about your end goal when you think deeply about it? Anyway, let’s get into it.

How often do you wake up and feel unnervingly anxious about all the goals that you have set for yourself over the past few months or weeks? I usually read through my goals list and question my sanity. I am not saying that goals are a terrible thing, but maybe focusing on the daily process could help with that feeling of anxiety or terror.

Focus On The Process Rather Than The Goal

-Too much focus on the end goal can sometimes rob us of happiness (in the present)

-Instead of placing so much emphasis on the end goal, why not focus on the daily steps that you have to take to achieve that goal. Think less about the end goal and focus more on the little steps. For example, each day I perform specific actions to achieve a particular goal. I Visualise the end goal in the beginning, then I put it out of my head and focus on the daily work.

Be Grateful Daily

I started practicing gratitude last year, and I am delighted that I took the plunge. This is my process:

In The Morning

I write down the following:

What are the three things that I am grateful for?

What would make today great?

A statement for what you what in your life (affirmation)

At Night:

Write down three things that happened today that you are grateful for?

How could you have made today better?

I am in love with this activity, what it does is keep you focused on the positive aspects of your life. It also keeps you grounded and centered and instead of continually thinking about the end goal that you have not achieved yet.

Celebrate Your Victories

Be proud of how far you have come, sometimes continually thinking about the fact that we are not where we want to can be stifling. It can make you feel heavy and stressed. However, if you think about how far you have come and celebrate the small things, it makes all the difference.

I recently experienced a very severe panic attack where an overwhelming sense of fear came over me. I felt like I had achieved nothing in my life, that all the dreams and goals I have were not materializing the way I wanted them to. Then I took a minute to think about everything that I have achieved, and I smiled.

I felt physically sick when I was releasing it. I felt like a failure, like what the hell am I doing? Why am I even releasing this book? Now, when I think about it, I feel incredibly proud of myself. I celebrate every day; I will continue to celebrate. This is not my first book, but it is my most personal book. Be proud when you write your first blog post, be proud when you finally start putting your plans into action. Be proud when you start getting clear on what you want to achieve in life. Be proud when you start writing down your daily process. Be proud.

Take Time To Reflect

-Reflect on the things that make you feel fulfilled and happy. Also reflect on the things that make you feel angry, sad or frustrated.

-Think about whether or not the things you are doing on a daily basis are serving you. Do you feel like your daily activities bring you joy? Yes, there are tasks that you will have to complete on a regular basis that do not bring you joy. However, there will also be tasks that you carry out daily that are not necessarily essential. Think about the goals that you have set for yourself, do they fit in with your life purpose?

Eliminate The Word Should From Your Life

-The word should often brings anxiety, fear, and expectation as well as regret and feelings of failure.

-Take a look at all the “shoulds” in your life and ask yourself a question. Do all these shoulds serve a purpose in your life?

-If the shoulds in your life fall in line with your purpose in life, then change them to “I will” or “I could” instead.

Stop Comparing Yourself To Others

Focusing on the end goal can sometimes lead to focusing on other peoples end goals too. Has your old school friend on Facebook just recently bought her first house? Are you still struggling to pull the pennies into purchase your first house? Well, stop thinking about their end goal, and start looking inward. Focus on yourself and your achievements, as well as the daily practices that will make your dreams come true.